Too Young to be Warriors: THG and 1D Crossover
by harmony159
Summary: "Effie sticks her well manicured hand into the giant glass orb and shifts around for what seems like hours before she finally pulls out a slip of paper. She struts back to the microphone, unfolds the paper and reads the name quite clearly. It isn't until I feel the entire square staring at me and hear Louis screaming my name before I realize that the name she read was mine."
1. Chapter 1

The sun peaked through my window, alerting me of a bright new day. I cracked open one eye and looked out my bedside window. It seemed to be almost noon, as the sun was extremely high in the sky. _Great,_ I thought, _I'm going to be late meeting Lou._ I threw off my blankets and ran to my bathroom, trying to freshen up as quickly as possible before I had to leave.

I brushed my teeth, splashed a bit of water on my face, and threw my black hair up in a quick ponytail. I watched myself in the mirror only for a minute, picking out how sad my green eyes looked today. I was like this every year on reaping day. It was lucky I only had one more year of this left and even more lucky this was Louis' last year. I turned away from the mirror and grabbed my jacket from the living room before making my way out the door.

The Seam was quiet, but it normally was this time of year. All the curtains were drawn and no one wandered the streets except for me. I walked quickly through my side of town before heading to the main square, which seemed to be a bit more lively but not by much. As I approached the familiar yellow house in Victor's Village, I saw him. His back was to me but I could practically hear the scowl on his face. His stance was stiff and I could tell his arms were crossed tightly. I caught myself smiling as I got closer to him, only imagining how mad he'd be when I finally showed up ten minutes late.

"Hey Lou!" I said. He turned around and I laughed at his face. He was definitely pissed off, that was for sure.

"It's about damn time Kyla! Can't you ever be on time? I said to meet at noon, not 12:10!" he yelled. He was always so punctual, being everywhere exactly on time whereas I was late to everything, including school. I just smiled at him.

"Calm down, Louis. It least I'm here right?" I said. His scowl didn't lift, but the light in his eyes was starting to come back. He reached down to the ground and picked up a backpack I hadn't noticed before.

"Come on," he said, "I figured we could eat lunch in the park before it's time to head to the square."

We walked slowly, making light conversation on the fifteen minute walk. Louis was my best friend and had been for as long as I could remember. Our parents were best friends and we'd spent many days as children being forced to play together, so it was only natural that we grew close. But as close as we were, we couldn't be any more different from each other if we tried. Louis was tall, over six feet where I was considered short, standing at about 5'3". Louis' hair was brown and shaggy, and he always styled it into a mess. My hair hangs all the way down my back, and is black and full of big curls. Louis is built, probably from doing so much yard work with his parents business whereas I'm extremely skinny with hardly any muscle. People from the Seam tend to be small, as we go underfed most of the time and have to hunt for most of our food. Lou is outgoing, loud, and extremely funny. I'm quiet and extremely shy, and hardly talk to anyone besides mine and Louis' family. Louis and I were different, that was for sure, but entirely inseparable.

We finally reached the park and we sat down at a table close to the gate incase time ran short and we needed to head to the square quickly. Louis opened the backpack and pulled out two turkey sandwiches and two apples. My stomach growled involuntarily and Lou laughed at me. I hadn't noticed being so hungry before. I smiled sheepishly and he handed over the food. We ate in silence for about five minutes before I finally spoke.

"So, how's your dad?" I said. Louis stopped eating and glanced up to meet my eyes.

"He's… better. I think it makes him feel better that this is my last reaping. He won't have to worry anymore, you know?" he replied.

Louis' dad was a previous Victor from over ten years ago. He was always so cautious with Lou and his family, and worried himself sick every year over the reaping. He had three kids including Louis, and he had been lucky enough to never have his children picked for the Games. Louis was the youngest so once this reaping was over, he'd be finished with them for good. I only hoped his name wouldn't be the one drawn today. The odds were in his favor though, seeing as his name was only entered seven times.

"But enough about me. How are you doing?" Lou said. His eyes were dark, full of a kind of sadness I know all too well. He knew how many times my name was entered, which was well over thirty. The odds were definitely _not _in my favor today.

"Fine," I said sharply. I didn't like to think about the reaping and how many times my name was likely to be picked. I couldn't bare the thought of being drawn and leaving my family and Lou behind. I looked up from the table and saw Louis staring at me.

"Kyla, it's going to be fine. There are so many other kids that could be reaped, too," he said, cupping my cheek with his hand. His hands were rough but I welcomed the warmth, and I leaned into his hand, trying not to cry. It felt like only three seconds later before I heard it. The whistle signaling the reaping. We sat there for a few moments before Louis finally stood up and walked over to my side of the table. He pulled me up by my armpits, making me giggle and when I was up on my feet, I turned to face him and pulled him into a very tight embrace. His big arms wrapped around me tightly and I felt his breath on my neck.

"I love you, Kyla," he said, his voice shaking. Shivers ran down my spine and I felt a heavy lump in my throat.

"I love you, too, Lou." The words hardly came out and Louis only tightened his grip on me even more. I held back my tears and tightened my grip was well, enjoying the moment with him. Another whistle blew loudly in the air and we finally pulled away from each other. Louis looked me in the eyes and he tried to put on a smile.

"Let's head to the square. The quicker we get there, the quicker we can leave."

The beginning of the reaping is always the same. Everyone stands in line and gets their fingers pricked, so the Capital knows if everyone is there. The reaping in mandatory, especially if you're between twelve and eighteen, so naturally all those children's parents are going to attend anyway. But the whole district must attend, too, which I never truly understood. The reaping is always the worst day of the year in District 12. The looks on everyone's faces always threatens my sanity.

After I've been through the queue to be signed in, I make my way to the center of the square. A huge stage has been set up in front of us, where I see Effie Trinket, along with a few other people from the Capital. Effie looks as strange as always, wearing a bright orange wig and a purple dress suit. I roll my eyes and look to my left, scanning the crowd for my parents. When I finally see them, I catch them already staring back at me. I give them a small smile and a wave and my mother waves back. I can tell from here she has tears in her eyes.

"I'll be fine," I mouth to her, trying to give her a bigger smile than before. She understands me but looks away from me, because Effie is now standing at the tall microphone.

"Welcome, welcome! Happy Hunger Games!" she practically yells. Her excitement is sickening. She keeps talking to us but I've stopped listening and started scanning the boys side for Louis. When I finally see him, I don't look away and I hope he'll feel me staring and look at me. The same film starts to play that they show every single year, where the history of the Hunger Games is explained to everyone as if we didn't already know. Louis finally turns around and meets my gaze. He rolls his eyes comically and I hold back my laugh. He smiles at me and then turns back to face the stage. Effie is back at the microphone.

"Well," she said, "ladies first!"

My heartbeat picks up rapidly and I feel my palms start to sweat. The tension is so high and every girl close to me has started to hold their breath. Effie sticks her well manicured hand into the giant class orb and shifts around for what seems like hours before she finally pulls out a slip of paper. She struts back to the microphone, unfolds the paper and reads the name quite clearly. It isn't until I feel the entire square staring at me and hear Louis screaming my name before I realize that the name she read was mine.

"Kyla Guthrie."


	2. Chapter 2

"Kyla Guthrie"

Louis is screaming my name but it sounds extremely far away. All I can really hear is my heartbeat and my breathing. They drew my name. _I'm going into the arena_.

I look around frantically and see Louis being held back by Peacekeepers. He isn't screaming anymore but tears are cascading down his face now. I can't even bare to look at him, so I focus on the ground and begin to walk to the giant stage at the front of the square. No one is talking, and all I can hear is scuffling from behind me (probably Louis fighting the Peacekeepers) and my footsteps on the concrete. It feels like an eternity before I'm walking up the steps and joining Effie on the stage. She smiles brightly at me before turning to face the audience once again.

"And now, we pick for the boys!"

Instead of looking out into the audience and looking at Louis', my parent's and everyone's devastated faces, I watch Effie as she digs her hand into the second glass orb. She pulls out a thin piece of paper and walks back to the center to read out the last name.

"Thomas Williamson." she says, but before anyone can even react, I hear Louis' voice screaming through the crowd.

"NO! WAIT!" he yells, "I volunteer! I'll take his place."

My heart stops and I can't even believe what I heard. _Louis just volunteered for someone he doesn't even know. _Before I'm even aware, I'm screaming at the top of my voice.

"NO! LOUIS! STOP!" I try to run off the stage but I'm held back by giant hands. Someone from the Capital, no doubt. Even though I know it's too late, I pray that he can change his mind and the other boy will have to go into the arena with me. But before I can think twice, Louis has joined me on the stage and is standing alongside Effie.

"Our tributes from District 12! Kyla Guthrie and Louis Tomlinson!" Effie exclaims into the microphone. It echoes off the buildings and the square is eerily quiet. Everyone in the district knows Louis and I are best friends. I can hear someone sobbing extremely loud in the audience, and when I finally find the person, my heart shatters. Mr. Tomlinson is on the ground, crying as hard as ever. Before I begin to cry myself, I have to turn away and glance at Louis. He is already staring straight at me and his blue eyes are glassy with unshed tears.

"Well go on you guys, shake hands," Effie says, trying to lighten up the mood.

Before I can even reach out my hand, Louis is running at me and pulling me into a back-breaking hug. The audience gasps, along with the guests on the stage, but I ignore them. I've never held Louis like this before; with such strength and love, like we may never see each other again which I know now could very well be the case.

The guests from the Capital lead us into the main District building to wait for our families and anyone else who wants to say goodbye. The meeting with my parents is brutal and heartbreaking, as my mother could hardly speak from sobbing. We pretty much just stand together in each other's arms and whisper "I love you's" before the Peacekeepers say they need to go. Before my mother is shoved out the door, she manages to get out her first coherent sentence since I've seen her.

"Come back to us baby, and try to bring Louis home too."

Before I can even answer, she's gone. I can only hope for her sake that I can return home with Louis, but I know the odds aren't in my favor at all. I'm small, weak, and vulnerable. I know I don't have a shot at winning, especially if it came down to killing Lou. I hear a soft knock on my door and when it opens, Mr. Tomlinson is standing on the other side.

"Kyla," he whispers, sounding extremely tired. I run to him and wrap my arms around him, knowing how hard this must be for him. He's tried so hard to keep his beloved children away from the Games and his own son just volunteered. He pulls away from me and looks me dead in the eyes.

"I'm going to try to make this quick. I don't have a lot of time," he says, "but I have to get this out. Kyla, Louis loves you so much. Please take care of him for however long you can. Stay together for as long as possible. Don't leave his side, no matter what."

I feel tears fall down my cheeks as he says this to me and my hands start to shake.

"I will, I promise."

Mr. Tomlinson opens his mouth to speak again but the Peacekeepers slam open the door, blocking out the noise. He is grabbed by his arms and dragged away from me, leaving me hanging on to the last words I spoke.

Effie, Louis and I finally get to the train that is going to take us to the Capital. I don't speak to anyone, not even Lou, and when we are given our cabins to sleep in, I run in alone and collapse on the floor.

I let myself sob for minutes, maybe hours. I don't know how to keep myself alive during the Games, much less Louis. I can't even bake bread without burning it, much less catch food and survive. I feel worthless and pathetic, and the thought of dying in these circumstances make me cry even harder. My stomach starts to hurt and my head begins to pound but I never stop. I can hear the door open behind me but I don't dare look to see who it could be. Only when I feel big arms wrap around me and the familiar smell of peppermint do I realize it's Louis, and I begin to sob even harder. For awhile he doesn't say anything, but when I've finally started to calm down, he lifts me up and sets me on the bed. He crawls in next to me and grabs a blanket to cover us up. I turn to face him and even in the dark, I can make out his gorgeous blue eyes. He cups my cheek with his hand and begins to sing to me, something he hardly ever does, even though he knows how much I love his voice.

_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_When I said "I'll never let you go"_

_When all those shadows almost killed your lightI remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"_

_But all that's dead and gone has passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

He only sings the first part to me, but I don't even mind. His voice calms me down quite a bit. I meet his gaze.

"Why'd you volunteer, Lou?" I ask.

"I couldn't let you go into the arena alone. Even if I die in the attempt, I can't let you die. Not like this, not for the Capital. I don't want to live in this world without you, Kyla."

I feel tears begin to fall from my eyes again and Louis takes me in his arms. Only this time, I don't let myself calm down. I don't let myself resurface from the sadness and pain that the Capital has dropped upon my shoulders.


End file.
